Aug. 21 () –
The UN has expressed this Saturday its concern about the increase in hostilities in Syria and have called for the reduction of tension in the region, after the latest attacks claimed the lives of dozens of civilians.
“These terrible tragedies show once again that civilians, many of them women and children, continue to suffer the effects of the ongoing hostilities in parts of Syria,” reads a statement from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA).
This statement has been jointly signed by the coordinator of said institution, OCHA, for Syria, Imran Riza; the regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Muhannad Hadi, and the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East, Adele Khodr.
In this sense, they have urged “all parties to take all possible measures to minimize harm to civilians”, complying with International Law that imposes the obligation to protect civilians.
The United Nations has shown its condolences to the families of the victims. It has also reiterated its commitment to work with all parties to achieve a “peaceful and prosperous Syria”, ensuring the protection of civilians so that all Syrians can rebuild their lives and live without violence.
The UN statement has condemned two of the latest attacks this week. One of them occurred on Thursday, August 18, in the province of Hasaka, when several Turkish drones attacked an education center for girls. Four women and girls were killed, while eleven were injured. Second, he has deplored an attack on a market in the Aleppo region.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Friday that at least 17 civilians, including six children, had been killed and 35 others wounded as a result of a shelling of a market in the Aleppo region.
This NGO indicated that the forces of the Government of Bashar al Assad attacked populated areas of the city of Al Bab, controlled by the rebel forces allied with Turkey. If confirmed, it would be “the largest massacre perpetrated by the (Syrian) regime in months.”
The Observatory, based in London but informants in the country, has reported that the attack would be a retaliation for the attacks launched by Turkey just a few days ago on Syrian Army positions in Ain al Arab.
Syrian military sources denounced this week that Turkey had killed three soldiers in a bombardment against several Syrian Army targets.
Damascus accused Ankara of using “terrorist groups” to carry out its operations in northern Syria, where Turkey maintains an operation to contain the alleged threat from Kurdish groups.
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